Beyond Dreams
by ahundredcoffees
Summary: A continuous development of the Erin/David relationship that will never play out on screen. Picks up at the hotel in New York where Erin is drawing a bath and waiting for David to arrive. What challenges will their relationship face? Will they be able to finally find true happiness with each other? Probably multi-chapter, depending on how creative I get.
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Readers:_

_I have never written fan fiction before, since I've always preferred to let those who can tell a story much better than I can transport me to another time and place. However, for some reason, the death of Erin Strauss has affected me in a way I did not think a television show could. I was thinking a lot about how things could have ended in a different way, and it started to come out on paper. I really don't know where this story is heading right now, but hopefully it will turn into something enjoyable. My main reason for writing it is to develop Erin and David's relationship, since we will never get to see this happen on the show. Enjoy the first chapter of my first ever attempt at fan fiction, and please let me know what you think._

* * *

Erin Strauss knew that she had no work related reason to be in New York with the team. She said she was coming along as a precaution, to keep the team on task and in line, but that was only an excuse. The real reason she wanted to go was to be closer to David Rossi. It was getting to the point that wherever he was, she wanted to be there too. There was a void when she couldn't be near him, when she couldn't hear his voice or walk by his office and see him sitting at his desk. Something was changing inside her, and she knew David was the main reason for it.

She was sure the rest of the team had noticed something, but they had not said anything. There were strange looks and glances cast their way, since they had pretty much been inseparable since arriving in New York, but no one came out and asked directly.

It had been a long day, and the team was wrapping up for the night. Erin had one thing on her mind, or rather, one person. She was more than ready to be alone with him, so when she saw her chance, she took it.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to head back to the hotel and take a bath."

As she said that, David could feel her sapphire blue eyes on him. Whenever he looked into them, he was transfixed. He knew he would be again as he glanced up from the paper he was studying. Sure enough, she was looking at him longingly, and her eyes said it all. She wanted him to join her.

He didn't know how long they were looking at each other like that, but he managed to pull his eyes away from Erin's gaze as he heard Alex Blake speak up.

"I'd be happy to drive you back, Erin. I'm heading that way too."

"That would be nice, thank you Alex." Erin could not let the moment pass without one more longing look at David before picking up her coat and exiting the room behind Alex.

David hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath, and he let it out in one deep sigh. Suddenly, he heard JJ's voice behind him.

"Could you be any more obvious? Why are you still here? Go already."

David was already halfway out the door before he called back, "I think I preferred you before you were a profiler."

Erin stepped off the elevator into the hallway and started rummaging through her bag to find her room key. Just then, her phone vibrated, signaling a text message. She knew who it was, and smiled as she unlocked her phone to read the message.

_Wait for me, I'm right behind you._

Touching her key card to the door, she walked in and threw her bag and coat on the bed. Kicking off her heels, she dropped down into one of the overstuffed chairs and closed her eyes. She started to imagine the feel of David's hands running down her back, and a shiver ran through her. It was amazing the feelings that man could stir inside her. She used to laugh at the notion that any man could make her feel like a giddy teenager, but that is exactly what David Rossi did every time she was in the same room with him. Hell, he made her feel like that even when they weren't in the same room.

Getting up from the chair, Erin walked to the bathroom and started filling the tub. She brought some of her bubble bath from home, and poured a capful under the running water. She watched the tub begin to fill with bubbles and the luscious scent of lavender. She started to unzip her dress when she heard footsteps in the hall, and a beeping noise at the door, indicating a keycard had been touched to the sensor. The door opened and the sweet scent of lavender filled his nose as David entered the room and dropped his coat on top of Erin's on the bed.

"Erin?" he called out.

"In here," she replied.

He could hear the water running and followed the sound of her voice. He walked down the small hallway and into the bathroom and saw Erin leaning over the bathtub, her dress unzipped and running her hands through the frothy bubbles.

"Looks like I'm just in time. Let me help you with that." David said as he walked toward Erin, reaching inside her partially unzipped dress to wrap his arms around her and feel her soft skin.

David began to slowly finish unzipping Erin's dress, letting his fingertips graze her skin as he moved the zipper down her back. She sighed softly as she felt the electricity from his touch move through her. As her dress fell to the floor, she stepped out of it and turned into David's embrace.

Erin tilted her head toward him and he didn't waste a second capturing her mouth with his. He loved the way she kissed, passionately, deeply, completely. He moved his hands into her hair and pulled the pins that kept it so neatly in place. Watching her blonde hair tumble freely around her face, David couldn't help himself.

"You're beautiful."

Erin's face flushed as she bent down to turn off the faucet. David watched as she removed her lingerie and lowered herself into the warmth of the bath water. She was completely covered by the bubbles, and he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Are you going to join me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." David replied as he hurried to get undressed.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you to those who have already sent such nice reviews, followed or favorited the story after just one chapter. It inspired me to keep going, so here is Chapter 2. Enjoy, and thank you so much for reading!_

* * *

Laying here this way, enveloped in the warmth of the bath water with Erin in his arms, David wondered why he let foolish pride get in the way of feeling like this for so many years. There was always something about Erin Strauss that got to him. She was beautiful, that's for sure, but it went deeper than that. He respected her position of authority, and loved that she challenged him, even though he would never let it show to anyone else. So why had he pretended that he didn't have feelings for her? Why had he acted like he loathed her when deep down, he wanted nothing more than to love her? Was he afraid that it couldn't last? Based on his relationship track record, that fear was justified, he thought to himself.

"David?"

Erin's voice pulled him out of his thoughts and returned him to the present moment, a moment he was more than happy to get back to.

"Hmmm?" David mumbled as he trailed kisses down Erin's wet arm.

"Do we have to go back tomorrow? Even though we came here for work, I feel like I've had a vacation of sorts. Spending every night with you has been amazing."

"What makes you think we can't be this way wherever we are?"

"You and I both know work and other commitments get in the way. We have been seeing each other off and on for over a year now, and I feel like this is the first time we've really connected."

"We'll figure it out, but not now. Enjoy this moment with me."

David took the sponge that was sitting on the edge of the bathtub and began massaging Erin's shoulders, working around her back where he knew she had a lot of tension.  
Erin's eyes were closed and she relished the feeling of David's hands on her. She lost track of time as she got lost in David's touch. Suddenly, she felt him pulling her up, wrapping her in a towel.

"You were starting to get cold," he said.

"I bet you know how to warm me up," she replied with a slight smile.

"I bet you're right."

David took Erin's hand and let her to the bed, quickly moving the coats they had discarded there earlier.

Erin let the towel she was wrapped in fall to the floor as she got underneath the covers. It wasn't but a second later David was on top of her, pinning her to the mattress.

"Making love to you is magic, Erin." David covered her mouth with his and he felt her deepen their kiss, inviting him to take the next step.

Slowly, he entered her, joining their bodies together. He watched her face the entire time, making sure he moved in all the right ways. He watched her expression turn from content to ecstasy, relishing the fact that he was the one making her feel that way.  
Reaching the height of passion together was an indescribable feeling. Rolling off of her and pulling her close, David pressed his lips to hers again and again.

"I don't want to stop kissing you."

"Then don't," Erin said quietly, and he could tell that she was starting to give in to sleep.

He kissed her once more, and then laid with her in the quiet, holding her, listening to her breath deepen. Once he knew she had fallen asleep, he soundlessly slipped from the room, knowing they both had an early start in the morning.

When she awoke before dawn, Erin could just see the sun starting to come up. She reached over to the other side of the bed, but David was already gone. She felt a wave of sadness wash over her, as she knew they would be returning to the BAU today. She knew that when they got back, she would be lucky to catch David in the hallway as they passed each other on their way to different meetings. She wanted him to still be in bed with her, holding her close. She'd see him on the plane, but knew he would be rehashing the details of the case with the team, getting right back into work mode.

"It was nice while it lasted." Erin said to herself, getting out of bed and pulling on her bathrobe.

Appreciating the quiet of the morning, Erin stepped out onto the balcony and gazed out over New York. As beautiful as the sun looked coming up over the horizon, Erin much preferred spending time in the country. It was a dream of hers to live in a farmhouse with lots of animals, her children and hopefully grandchildren visiting often. Erin got emotional whenever she thought about her children. They were growing up so fast, and she knew that she missed so many important moments with them because of her job. How she wished she could have some of that time back.

"I can't dwell on the past. I need to look forward to the future, but what does that mean for me?" Erin thought to herself.

She walked back into the hotel room and began packing her things. She changed out of her bathrobe and pulled on a comfortable jersey dress for the plane ride home. Taking one more look around the room to make sure she had packed everything, and satisfied she'd left nothing behind, she started to pull her suitcase out the door and head for the lobby. Just then, her phone lit up, letting her know she had a new message.

_Wait for me – I'm right behind you._


	3. Chapter 3

_Continued thanks for all the nice reviews I've been receiving! As someone who is new to writing fan fiction, the positive responses to this story definitely inspire me to keep writing. I hope you'll keep reading and enjoying!_

* * *

Erin smiled at David's familiar message as she started to walk toward the bank of elevators in the hallway. When she arrived, she pushed the down arrow and waited for the doors to open. When they did, she was more than a little surprised to see David standing there, two cups of coffee in his hands. He held one out to her.

"I thought you might need this. We had a late night, and I'm sure you were up early."

"Thank you," Erin said, as she gratefully accepted the cup. "We did, and I was, but it was more than worth it."

"I'm glad we agree on that," he said, placing a kiss firmly on her lips. "Are you all set to check out? I think the car service will be here to take us to the airport in about fifteen minutes."

"I was heading to the lobby now to return my keys. Where is everyone else?" Erin asked.

"Great, I'll go with you I'll even be a gentleman and carry your suitcase. The rest of the team is downstairs getting coffee and checking out too. We're all together and all set to go," David said.

"Sounds good, thanks, I'll meet you outside as soon as I'm done," Erin replied.

Erin proceeded to the front desk to check out and return her room keys. As walked toward the main entrance, she felt someone's eyes on her. She turned around and saw JJ standing there with a look on her face that registered somewhere between confusion and amusement.

JJ tried to hide her smile as she spoke. "I heard some interesting noises coming from your room last night. Did you want to clue me in as to what was, is or might still be going on?"

"You may not think that I'm as good of a profiler as the rest of you, but I can tell by the look on your face that you know exactly what's going on," Erin retorted.

"Possibly, but I just wanted to hear you say it. You're making out with David Rossi! I feel like I'm the last one to know about this," JJ said, trying to emphasize the mock sense of hurt in her voice.

"What? I didn't think anyone knew! We were trying to be discreet."

"Think back to about a year ago. Remember when you and Rossi were hooking up at that swanky hotel a few miles from the office?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Well, Reid and Garcia were attending a convention there and they saw Rossi getting his car. Then they saw you come out a few minutes later. They put two and two together."

"Let me guess how the rest of this goes," Erin said. "Garcia told Morgan, Reid told Hotch and Blake, and Hotch told you."

"You're close, but not quite. Hotch was respectful enough to ask Rossi first, and he didn't say yes specifically, but he didn't deny it either. Everyone just assumed the non-denial meant yes."

"Great, and here I was thinking that we were pulling the wool over your eyes. I guess it was the other way around," Erin sighed.

JJ laughed, "It's not a problem for any of us. We are all actually really happy for the both of you. So, I don't think anyone would mind if you two wanted to cuddle on the plane ride home, or even better, join the mile high club."

"Oh please! I'm embarrassed enough!" Erin said as she swatted JJ's arm.  
Just then, David walked up to them.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked. It seems like you two are having a pretty animated conversation."

"No, you have perfect timing; absolutely perfect," Erin said, thankful for the distraction.

"Ok, well, I just wanted to let you know that your luggage is loaded and we're ready to go."

"Great, thanks so much." Erin turned back to JJ. "It's always a pleasure conversing with you, Agent Jareau."

"Indeed it is, Chief Strauss. See you on the plane. Agent Rossi," she acknowledged David and with a wave, walked out the doors of the hotel and got into the first of two town cars waiting to take the team to the airport.

"Do I even want to ask what that was about?" David asked Erin curiously.

"They all know about what we're doing, whatever it is we're calling it." Erin replied.

"I kind of figured they might have a clue, and for now, let's just call it enjoying each other. We should get going. It looks like the cars are ready to leave."

David put his hand on the small of Erin's back, leading her out of the hotel and into the car.

Erin thought about David's definition of what they were doing on the ride to the airport. Enjoying each other seemed like a sugar coated way of saying he didn't want anything serious to develop between them. Was she happy keeping it casual, or was she looking for something more? She wasn't sure, but she didn't like the way she felt when she sensed David was leaning toward just a casual relationship.


	4. Chapter 4

The lights on the airport runway were glowing bright as the plane carrying the BAU team approached Baltimore-Washington International airport. Preparing to make its final decent, the plane's landing gear dropped, and the noise was enough to wake Erin out of sleep. She glanced over at the seat next to her and saw David feverishly typing on his laptop.

David noticed Erin was stirring and grabbed her hand with a smile.

"We're home." David said to her. "Did you sleep well?"

"I think so, how long was I out for?" Erin asked.

"It was pretty much the entire flight. We were having a nice conversation, and the next thing I knew, you weren't responding anymore. You must have needed the sleep, and you looked so peaceful, I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"Thanks, but now I am going to be awake all night. I guess I can get a head start on the case report I'll need to submit."

"I have a lot I need to do too. While you were sleeping, I was making a list of things I needed to get done, and it just kept growing. We've only been away for five days. I can't believe I have this much to do," David said, turning his laptop toward her so Erin could see.

The plane came to a stop on the runway and Erin heard the hatch door open. She pulled her suitcase down from the overhead and began walking toward the exit.

"Well, I guess I should leave you to get started then. Will you call me?"

"That's a silly question. Of course I'll call you. I'm also going to walk you to your car, so give me that suitcase."

"Thanks," Erin said, a twinge of sadness in her voice. She had a feeling that she'd be seeing less of David outside of work now that they were home.

As David and Erin walked to her car, he dragged her suitcase behind him with one hand, and reached for her hand with the other.

"I am glad you decided to come with us. I enjoyed getting to spend this time with you."

"I do enjoy the field work every now and then. Spending so much time in the office starts to weigh on me after a while, so I try to mix it up when I can."

David and Erin reached her car and she opened the trunk so he could put her suitcase inside. Slamming the lid closed, he walked around to the driver's door where Erin was standing. He grabbed her hand and gently pushed her back so she was leaning against the car. Pressing his body against hers, their eyes met, and beyond the endless sea of blue he saw in hers, there was something more. The expression she wore was one he had not seen before, and it intrigued him.

"What are you thinking about?" David asked

"How much I don't want you to go," she replied.

"I'll see you soon."

With that, he captured her mouth with his, biting her lower lip gently. Erin deepened their kiss and began running her hands through his hair. David was thinking about taking her right there in her car, but he came to his senses and finally broke the kiss.

"Okay, before I lose all control, I should go."

"Thank you for walking with me. See you back at the office on Monday."

"Yes, you will, but I'll be talking to you before then."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

David blew her another kiss before he turned and walked back toward the plane to collect his luggage.

"I hope so," Erin said as she watched him walk away.

After David was no longer in sight, Erin got into her car to begin the drive back to her home in Manassas. If the traffic was light, it would take her a bit more than an hour, and she couldn't wait to get there. She was thankful that it was after 7, which meant the Friday rush hour traffic would be over. Chances were good that she could be showered and in her own bed by 9.

The drive passed uneventfully, and Erin glanced at the blue glow of the clock on the dashboard as she pulled into her driveway. It read 8:56. Pulling the car into the garage and putting it in park, Erin let out a deep sigh before turning off the engine.

"Nine o'clock on a Friday, and nowhere to go," she said.

Erin got out of the car and walked around to the trunk to retrieve her suitcase. Opening the door to her home, she took in the dark and quiet surroundings and was hit with a sense of loneliness.

Realizing that she had nothing pressing to do that evening and nowhere to go, Erin took a long shower, crawled into bed and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The weekend passed quickly, and as Erin walked into the BAU on Monday, she was hoping to not have to see or talk to David Rossi. Her instincts had been right, and he hadn't called her once for the remainder of the weekend. She wasn't in the mood to hear his apologies or excuses.

Heading up the stairs to her office, she ran into Agent Hotchner coming the opposite way.

"Good morning, Aaron. Did you have a nice weekend?"

"Yes, I did, and good morning to you as well; as good of a morning as you can have on a Monday."

"Aaron, can you do me a favor? If you see David, please tell him I'll be tied up most of the day and won't have time to speak with him, okay?"

"Um, sure, if that's what you want. Is something wrong?"

"No, I just have a lot to catch up on and don't have time for small talk today."

With that, Erin continued up the stairs to her office. Aaron didn't know what to say, so he just watched her walk off. Hearing the voices of the rest of the team, he continued the opposite way down the stairs to join them. Reaching the group and seeing Morgan first, Aaron just shook his head.

"What's going on with Erin? She looks pissed," Derek said

"I think something happened between her and Rossi this weekend. She wouldn't tell me. She just said to tell Dave she didn't want to talk to him today."

"That's not good. When Erin Strauss is on the warpath, it is not a fun time," Derek replied.

Just then, the two men heard footsteps behind them. They turned to see David walking up to join their conversation. The look on his face said it all. He knew he screwed up, and he knew he was in trouble.

"Okay, you're going to tell me what happened, and you're going to tell me now," Aaron said. "Whatever you did, Erin is not amused. She told me to tell you she had no interest in seeing or speaking with you today."

"I know, and I probably deserve it. I told her on the way home from New York that I would call her over the weekend and I didn't. I just got caught up in everything I had to do and it just slipped my mind."

"Wait, calling your girlfriend, at least I think that's what she is, just slipped your mind?" Derek asked incredulously. "My man, you deserve whatever punishment she gives you."

"I don't know why she's taking it so seriously. It was only a couple days."

"Because when you're in love with someone, you expect them to reciprocate. She wants to know that she's on your mind," Derek said. "Come on, Dave, don't tell me you don't know how this love thing works."

"I don't know if that's what it is. I told her that I just wanted to enjoy each other. I don't want to put labels on it or feel pressure to take it to the next level."

"This is where I exit the conversation," Aaron said. "I think my coffee cup needs a refill."

"Thanks for leaving me to school this guy on the ways of a woman," Derek said sarcastically.

Turning back to David, he continued, "I think you need to have a talk with Erin about your feelings. It seems to me, given her current emotional state, that she is on a different wavelength than you."

"I suppose I should go try to apologize," David surmised.

"I'd tread lightly if I were you. She made it pretty clear to Hotch that she was not interested in seeing your face anytime soon," Derek warned.

"I have been dealing with Erin Strauss's mood swings since you were in kindergarten. Trust me, I can handle her," David said before turning toward the stairs that led to Erin's office.

"Good luck. I think you're going to need it," Derek teased.

David climbed the staircase and walked down the hall toward Erin's office. He noticed her door was ajar, and was just about to knock when he heard her on the phone.

"Senator Brannigan, it's nice to hear from you. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" Erin said, her voice dripping with sugary sweetness.

"Ross Brannigan?" David thought to himself. "What does that jackass want?"


	5. Chapter 5

_Continued thanks for the enthusiastic reviews. It makes me happy to know that so many other Criminal Minds fans have as much admiration for Erin as I do. I hope all the fan fiction writers out there will keep her alive through your stories so that we may continue to enjoy her character. Now, on with my story!_

* * *

David forgot about knocking and pushed the door to Erin's office open. When she saw him, she gave him her signature Erin Strauss death stare and waved her arms to signal she wanted him to leave. When he made no attempt to move, Erin turned her attention back to the phone.

"Ross, I've just had an unwelcome interruption. I'd love to continue this conversation further. Can I call you back in a few minutes?"

Erin was quiet while listening to his reply.

"Thank you, that sounds wonderful. We'll talk again soon." Erin was smiling as she hung up the phone.

"What the hell are you talking to that guy for and what did he want?" David said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice but failing. "If I remember correctly, he's the reason we ended our relationship the first time."

"David, that was a long time ago. We were all younger then and didn't always make the right choices. Some of us still don't."

David knew that was a jab at him for not keeping his promise to call her.

"Erin, I'm sorry about not calling you over the weekend. I got wrapped up in my own stuff and it completely slipped my mind."

"That is one major problem with you, David Rossi. You tend to get wrapped up in yourself quite often, damn whoever else may be involved."

"You're changing the subject, Erin. What did Brannigan want?"

"Not that it is really any of your business, but he wants me to go to a fundraiser with him in Washington, DC next weekend."

"You said no, right? Tell me you said no."

"Actually, I didn't. I have no plans this weekend, and I think it will be nice to catch up with a friend and see some of my other old colleagues on Capitol Hill."

"You're not old enough to have your memory be failing yet, Erin. He was more than a friend."

"For a while, he was, yes. I thought he was what I wanted, what I needed, at the time."

"If it wasn't for that no good slime ball coming in and taking you away from me, we might have…" David trailed off, as he couldn't bring himself to think about what might have been.

"Might have what, David? Honestly, you acted back then like you do now. Carefree, nonchalant, whatever happens, happens. I never knew where I stood with you then, and I sure as hell don't know now."

"Why do you do this, Erin? Why do you put all this pressure on me? All it does is make me want to run the other way."

"So run, David. No one is asking you to stay."

"Why are you using Brannigan to make me jealous?"

"Excuse me? I am certainly doing nothing of the sort. He called me out of the blue. I hadn't thought about him in years. You have been the only one on my mind, but apparently, that feeling is not reciprocated."

"That's not true and you know it. You're really going to go to this thing, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm going. Please accept my apologies if I don't want to sit around waiting for you to make up your mind about where our relationship stands. We've been playing this game for years and it's getting tiring."

Both Erin and David quieted at the sound of a knock on the office door.

"Sorry to interrupt," Hotch said, "but there is a conference call in five minutes that you both need to be on."

"We'll be down momentarily, Aaron," Erin replied. "I apologize if we caused a disturbance."

"Not a problem. We'll be in the main conference room."

"This conversation is over, David. Get out of my office."

David knew there was no point in trying to continue to argue with her. When Erin got her back up, it would be a losing battle to try to get her to see his side of things. He would just have to figure out a way to make it up to her. He had to let it go for now, as there were currently work related issues that needed his full attention.

Without another word, David turned and walked out of Erin's office. He wanted to make sure that he got to the meeting before she did, so that he could sit on the opposite side of the room. He didn't want to have to endure her death stares through the entire meeting.

David got to the conference room and the rest of the team was already there. They exchanged pleasantries with him and were going out of their way to pretend like theyhadn't heard what went on between him and Erin in her office. David took a seat in the far corner of the room, and started fiddling with the corner of his legal pad. He knewHotch wouldn't begin the meeting without Erin. He also knew she would be breezing in any second.

As if on cue, Erin walked in, nodded to Aaron standing at the front of the room, and asked, "Agent Hotchner, what is on the agenda this morning?"

Ever the professional, Erin was able to get through the conference call without an issue, even though she wanted to kick David Rossi as hard as she could under the table. She couldn't help but throw a few icy stares his way, though. She didn't want to admit it, but she liked to watch him squirm a little.

As David gathered up his things and prepared to leave the room, he noticed Aaron coming out right behind him.

"Let's walk and talk," Hotch said. "It's probably none of my business, but I'll ask anyway. Given the looks you two were trading in there, something is going on. What is it?"

"Erin's being overly dramatic about me not having called her last weekend, and now she is trying to make me jealous by going to Washington, DC to spend time with an ex lover."

"Given how dismayed you looked in that meeting, it appears that if this is indeed an attempt to make you jealous, it's working. Who is the ex, if you don't mind my asking."

"I'm sure you know Senator Ross Brannigan?"

"Erin dated Senator Brannigan?" Hotch asked, not hiding the surprise in his voice. "Was it serious?"

"Please, don't flatter the guy. He was just a congressional aide back then, but he was a smarmy backstabber and was great at kissing the right butts. I have no doubt thesecharming qualities helped him claw his way into the Senate," David replied sarcastically.

"I'm guessing that there is no love lost between you and Brannigan, and you don't want Erin to see him."

"No, I don't, but you know Erin. Once she makes her mind up, there is nothing anyone can do to change it. Short of tying her up and locking her in the basement, I have no way of making her stay here."

"So what are you going to do about it? I ask this mainly because I know you are not one to just sit around and wait to see what happens," Hotch said.

"I'm thinking about it, but I don't have a plan yet. I have until Friday to come up with something, and being the resourceful guy that I am, I have faith in myself that I willdevelop the master of all plans."

"You're going to follow her there, aren't you?"

"Maybe, but you can't let her know that I'm even thinking about it."

"You don't have to worry about that, I'm staying out of this. With all the mudslinging that I predict will be going on, I'd rather not be in the middle," Aaron said.

"The thought of Erin anywhere near that bastard makes my skin crawl."

"Just out of curiosity, when is the last time you actually saw this guy, Dave? Maybe he's changed," Aaron suggested.

"A leopard doesn't change his spots, Aaron. Brannigan has an ulterior motive. Why would he just call Erin out of the blue like that? He wants something from her and I'm going to find out what."

"As someone on the outside looking in, you might be overreacting just a bit," Aaron said. "But I'll be sure to keep this under wraps so no one knows what you're up to."

They reached David's office and stopped in front of the door.

"Nice chatting with you, Aaron. Thanks for lending an ear."

"Yeah, that's about all I can do in this situation."

Nodding his agreement, David entered his office and shut the door. Walking to his desk, he pulled out the overstuffed leather chair and sunk down with a thud. Opening the top drawer of his desk, the good bottle of whiskey he kept inside rolled toward the front. He removed the bottle and poured himself a shot of the dark brown liquid. He downed it quickly, and relished the feeling of the alcohol sliding down his throat.

Erin Strauss was a challenge, he thought, but he loved it. She was perfect combination of salty and sweet; the total package. She was also way too much woman for RossBrannigan.

Hearing footsteps in the hall, he got up from his desk and headed toward the door to see who was out there. He opened the door a crack and saw a delivery driver with a huge black box tied with white ribbon heading toward Erin's office. He watched the driver knock on Erin's door, and Erin opened it with a look of surprise on her face. Fromthat look, David could tell she wasn't expecting this delivery. She took the package and thanked the driver with a smile.

His curiosity piqued, David waited until he saw the driver retreat down the stairs, then started to make his way down the hall toward Erin's office. He needed to know what was in that package, and more importantly, who sent it. As he got closer, he saw through the window that she was untying the ribbon and carefully lifting the lid off the box.

When he saw what she pulled out, the anger he was feeling earlier only intensified.


	6. Chapter 6

David was standing outside Erin's office with clenched fists as he saw her pull a breathtaking, without a doubt expensive, ball gown out of the large box sitting on her desktop.

"Wow, there really isn't any line that jerk won't cross, is there?" David said out loud. "He hasn't seen Erin in God knows how many years, yet he sends her a dress that expensive just to be nice? Erin is smarter than this. I need to find out what's really going on here."

David was going to storm into Erin's office without warning, but his breath caught in his throat when he saw her wistful, almost dreamlike smile when she held the ball gown against her body.

It's been a while since anyone made her feel this special, David suddenly realized.

* * *

Erin was dumbfounded by the delivery driver standing at the door of her office holding out a big box with the Chanel logo clearly emblazoned on the lid. She didn't remember taking the box from him, or even shutting the door and retreating back to her desk, yet here she sat, with the box laying in wait for her to pull the ribbon. She was hoping now that she at least remembered to say thank you.

She noticed a white envelope tucked underneath the bow and gingerly plucked it from the confines of the ribbon. She turned the envelope over and loosened the flap. She could feel her heart beating faster as she read the note:

_Dearest Erin,_

_It may have been years since I last saw you, but I have no doubt you are as exquisite as I remember. Please do me the honor of wearing this gown to the fundraiser this weekend. It was the main showcase in the Chanel display window and when I saw it, Iimmediately thought of you. My personal tailor is on standby to come alter it so it is a perfect fit. His business card is enclosed. Make the call, and he'll be at your door the same day. I'm looking so very forward to seeing you._

_My very best,_

_Ross_

Erin removed the cover from the box and pulled back the tissue paper to reveal the most beautiful couture gown she had ever seen. She was sure it had cost a fortune. She was touching it so delicately; afraid it might disintegrate in her hands. She couldn't imagine actually wearing it.

The gown was strapless with a sweetheart neckline. It was made of long, flowing layers of the finest silk Erin had ever touched. The dress was a deep shade of sapphire blue and the fabric was gathered at the waist with a stunning gemstone brooch of white and blue stones.

She felt like Cinderella as she removed the dress from the box completely and held itagainst herself. She didn't have a full length mirror in her office, so she decided to look at her reflection in the office window to at least get a sense of how the dress would look on. When Erin got closer to the window, she noticed David standing outside her office with an incredulous look on his face, his hands clenched into fists. She could tell he was upset, and in a way, she could understand why. A man Erin hadn't seen in a long time had just sent her a dress that most people could never dream of affording.

She laid the dress over a chair and opened the door.

"Why are you standing outside my office?" she asked.

"I need to talk to you about this weekend," David said, looking past Erin at the dress.

Sighing, Erin stepped aside, motioning David through the door. Following him in, she shut the door behind them.

"What is left to talk about, David? I already told you, I'm doing a favor for an old friend and colleague. You know how the world of politics works. In order to gain recognition and status, it's all about who you know. Ross needs to attend this fundraiser, and who better to go with than a high-ranking member of the FBI?"

"This whole thing seems odd to me. You and I both know this isn't the first fundraiser he's attended, and all of the sudden, he needs you by his side? Wearing a dress that costs upwards of ten thousand dollars, no less?"

Erin tried to keep her voice calm and even as she answered.

"It is just one weekend, David. It is nothing more than seeing an old friend and attending a political function with him. I wasn't expecting the dress."

"I still don't like it. Where is this thing being held, anyway?"

"It is at the Mandarin Oriental on Maryland Ave," Erin replied.

"Of course it is. I see no reason why it should it be anywhere else than one of the fanciest, most expensive hotels in the city," David said, not attempting to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

"I know the way you feel has a lot to do with us and the way things went last weekend. We can certainly talk about it when I get back, but as I said before, I'm done with the topic of Ross Brannigan and this weekend. I don't want you to bring it up anymore. Now if you would please excuse me, I have some phone calls to make."

Erin opened the door, signaling their conversation was over. David was not feeling much better after this most recent chat, and the way he felt just affirmed that he was going to be in DC to keep an eye on Erin this weekend.

* * *

It was Friday afternoon and Erin looked at the clock on her bedside table. The blue glow of the numbers showed that it was almost 4 p.m. In less than a half hour, she would be on her way to the airport. The remainder of the week had passed quickly due to the whirlwind of work she was caught up in. She hadn't spoken to David much, other than to talk about some recent cases that the team was working on.

Erin zipped up her suitcase, hoping she had packed everything she needed. She glanced at the garment bag hanging over the door. Inside held her perfectly tailored gown. Ross was right when he said his tailor would be at her beck and call. She spoke to him on Tuesday and he came the very same day. He pinned and tucked and markedthe fabric, and when she received the dress back on Thursday, it was an absolutely perfect fit. She was worried about what accessories she would wear with such a fancy dress, but thankfully, the brooch on the dress was the centerpiece. That meant she could keep her jewelry simple, deciding to wear only the diamond stud earrings that were her staple for so many outfits. Slipping them on her ears so she didn't have to pack them, Erin's thoughts turned to David.

"Maybe we should have talked before I left," she thought.

Little did Erin know, David Rossi was also packing a suitcase and getting ready to make the trip to Washington, DC, and she and David would have more than enough opportunity to talk.

* * *

Sitting in the back of the taxi she had hailed at the airport, the garment bag containing her gown draped across her lap, Erin was thinking about how to spend the night, since she had nothing to do until tomorrow.

The flight had been short and uneventful and Erin was grateful it was early enough that she could check in to her room and then relax at the hotel restaurant while enjoying a nice solo dinner. Ross had asked her to call him when she arrived, but she decided to wait until after she was satiated and had time to unwind a bit.

Erin's thoughts were interrupted as she heard the taxi driver trying to get her attention.

"Here we are, madam, the Mandarin Oriental. May I help you with your luggage?"

"Thank you, sir," Erin said, as she handed him the cab fare and a generous tip.

The driver walked around to Erin's door and opened it for her, helping her out so she wouldn't trip over the large garment bag she had refused to let out of her sight. She waited while he retrieved her one suitcase from the trunk, and walked with him toward the front entrance of the hotel.

"Thank you again for the help," Erin smiled as she moved toward the revolving door.

"You are quite welcome. Enjoy your stay," the driver replied.

Erin walked into the front entrance and immediately noticed how grand the hotel actually was. It just occurred to her that no one had asked her for a credit card number or gave her a total for the stay when she called to make the reservation. By the grandiose nature of the main lobby, Erin guessed the room was probably going to be quite expensive, and was happy she decided to take her American Express card at the last minute.

Approaching the front desk, Erin caught the attention of one of the employees.

"Hello, my name is Erin Strauss, and I have a reservation for one of the rooms blocked off for the fundraiser this weekend."

"Of course, Ms. Strauss, let me just pull up your reservation," said a friendly looking woman whose nametag read 'Natalie.'

Erin waited as Natalie keyed her information into the system.

"It looks like you have been upgraded to one of our presidential suites, Ms. Strauss, and your bill has been taken care of. Let me just program the keys for you."

Erin couldn't help but feel a bit angry at the presumptuous nature of Ross Brannigan. The dress was already too much, now he was paying for a presidential suite?

"May I ask who made the request for this upgrade, as I certainly did not," Erin asked.

"Yes, ma'am, just give me a moment to pull up the reservation log," Natalie said. "Oh, here it is. The upgrade request was made by a Mr. David Rossi. Here are your keys and other information about the hotel. I will have our concierge escort you up to your suite."

Erin could only stand there with her mouth agape, at a loss for words. "Thank you," she managed to squeak out, as she took the keys and folder of information from Natalie and started to follow the concierge who had appeared to take her to the room.

As they were walking toward the elevators, the familiar sound of her phone's text message alert sounded from inside her purse.

She knew exactly who it was before she even opened the message. Her suspicions were confirmed when she read it:

_Wait for me. I'm right behind you._


	7. Chapter 7

Riding in the elevator with the concierge to almost the top floor of the hotel seemed to take forever. Erin could not understand why David would have done this, or why he felt the need to follow her every move while she was here. Was he that worried about Ross? She would have to call him as soon as she got settled to sort all this out.

The ding of the elevator doors signaled that they had arrived at their selected floor. The concierge grabbed hold of her luggage and waited for the doors to open. Once they did, Erin stepped out into the hall and walked over to the large floor to ceiling window. She couldn't believe how breathtaking the view was. Being this high, she could see the White House, the Capitol, and National Mall. She decided that instead of spending the night at the hotel, she wanted to do some sightseeing.

Turning around, Erin walked down the small hall toward two double doors. She saw the concierge standing outside of them, so she assumed this was her room.

"Here we are, madam. Suite 4701," the concierge said as she approached.

He slid the master key into the reader and pushed the door open. He let Erin walk in first, and she was taken aback by the sheer size of the room. The main entrance led into a large parlor area with overstuffed couches, a fireplace, large television and shelves stacked top to bottom with books of every topic. In the corner of the room, there was a fully stocked bar. It did not go unnoticed by Erin that it was actually stocked with sparkling cider, water and other non-alcoholic beverages.

She wanted to explore the other parts of the suite, but wanted to do it in private, so she passed the concierge $20 and thanked him for his help as she showed him to the door.

Walking back through the small hallway, through the parlor, Erin entered the spacious master bedroom. The bed could have easily fit 10 people in it. It was dressed in luxurious silk linens and what had to be hundreds of pillows. French doors next to the bed led to a balcony, and Erin had the same amazing view of the sights of Washington, DC as she had in the hallway.

A door off the bedroom led into a bath with a marble Jacuzzi tub. Like everything else in the room, it was large and luxurious. Erin could not believe she was going to be staying here for the next two nights.

As amazing as this room was, her thoughts turned back to David and why he would have done this, and she also thought about the text he had sent her.

"Does this mean he is coming here? God, I hope not," Erin thought. Just then, the telephone by the bedside table started to ring.

Erin jumped on the bed and flopped into the large mass of pillows before answering.

"Hello, Erin Strauss."

"Ms. Strauss, this is Natalie from the front desk calling. I have Senator Ross Brannigan on the phone for you," she said.

"Thank you, Natalie, you may put him through," Erin replied.

She was hoping to not have to talk to Ross until the morning, but thought it would be rude of her not to accept his call, given his gift of a ten thousand dollar gown that was hanging over the door, just waiting for her to slip it on.

"Ross, I wasn't expecting to hear from you until tomorrow"

"I know, but I just wanted to call and make sure you've settled into the hotel and that you have everything you need."

"I have settled in quite nicely, and can I formally say thank you so much for the gorgeous dress. It was completely unexpected, and much too generous of you," Erin said sweetly.

"Erin, my darling, there is nothing too grand for you. Is there any chance that you would be available to have dinner with me tonight? I'll be driving by the hotel shortly."

Erin was disappointed that she would not be able to sightsee as she planned, but she felt an obligation to Ross and accepted his invitation.

"I would enjoy that very much. What time will you be here?"

"I'm about a half hour away. Meet me downstairs then. Oh, and look outside your door."

Erin walked to the hall and opened the door, but she saw nothing.

"Ross, there is nothing out here."

"Aren't you in Room 1495?" he asked.

"Actually, no, I am in one of the presidential suites. It is Room 4701."

"If the standard room was not going to be sufficient for you, you could have just told me, Erin. I wouldn't have made you pay for a suite."

"I didn't pay for the suite. Someone I'm sort of involved with did."

"Sort of involved with?"

"It's a long story."

"Okay then, I won't make you go into details over the phone, but we will have lots to talk about during dinner. Be downstairs in 20 minutes. I'll get to personally deliver my surprise to you. That's even better."

"Ross, you don't have to do all this, it's too much."

"Erin, I appreciate you coming all the way up to DC to accompany me. I'm sure you had plenty of other things you could have been doing this weekend, and I just want to show you how much your kindness means to me."

Erin thought about telling Ross she had absolutely no plans this weekend, and his invitation had kept her from going crazy thinking about David and why he was so hell bent on keeping her at arm's length. Instead, she decided on a much simpler response.

"I am always willing to help out an old friend," Erin told him sincerely. "I will be waiting for you in the lobby. See you soon."

Erin hung up the phone and rolled off the bed and out of the mountain of pillows with a deep sigh. She walked into the bathroom to check her hair and makeup.

"Ugh, less than 20 minutes to get ready and I look like I just rolled out of bed. Oh, wait, I did," Erin laughed at her mild attempt at humor.

She decided on a semi-casual outfit of black linen pants, an emerald silk blouse, and her ever reliable Prada pumps that she had comfortably broken in many years ago. She ran a brush through her hair and spritzed it with shine spray to keep it somewhat under control, since she didn't have time to pin it up. Unzipping her cosmetic bag and pulling out mascara, lipstick and eye shadow, she quickly refreshed her makeup.

"I suppose this will have to do," she said, examining her reflection.

Returning to the parlor, she suddenly remembered David's text message.

"Damn it, I completely forgot to call him. He better not be on his way here."

She ran to the table in the hallway where she had set her purse down. She grabbed her cell phone out of it and quickly dialed David's number. She waited anxiously as she heard ring after ring.

"Come on, David, pick up," she said frustratingly.

After the fifth ring, Erin heard the familiar recording of David's voice mail.

"You have reached the voice mail of David Rossi. I am unavailable to take your call at this time, but please leave me a detailed message and I will get back to you as soon as possible."

"David, it's me. I got your text message. I'm not sure what it means, but I hope you're not coming here. I also don't understand why you paid for this suite. Can you please call me back as soon as you get this? It's obvious there are some things we need to talk about."

Erin hung up the phone and let out a sigh as she checked her watch. She had to be downstairs in five minutes. Tossing her phone back into her purse and making sure she had her room key, she breezed out the door and headed to the lobby.

Stepping out of the elevators, she walked toward the restaurant. She could see Ross standing there talking to the hostess. His back was turned to her, but she knew it was him. He always had a bold presence and excellent posture. His hair was grayer thanthe last time she saw him, but she had no doubt he would still have the same handsome features.

When he turned around, a warm smile spread across his face, and Erin knew he had spotted her. She returned his smile with a megawatt one of her own, and she could see by the slight shift in his posture that she still had an effect on him.

"This is going to be an interesting weekend," she thought to herself, as she tried to ignore the butterflies currently fluttering in her stomach.

Ross walked toward her with his arms outstretched and wrapped her in a hug.

"Erin, sweetheart, you are as beautiful as ever. It is so wonderful to see you. A gift to go with your dress for tomorrow," he said, handing Erin a red jewelry box with _Cartier_ embossed in gold on the lid.

Erin was flabbergasted as she opened the box and saw a glittering diamond hair pin nestled in the black satin lining.

"Ross, it's beautiful, I don't know what to say. Thank you doesn't seem like enough."

"When I get to see you all dressed up, that will be all the thanks I need," he replied. "I believe our table is ready. You must be starving."

Erin didn't know if it was hunger or something else that was causing her to feel a little lightheaded, but as she watched Ross pull her hand toward his lips and kiss it gently, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a familiar face staring at them from across the lobby.

David Rossi had made his appearance, and at the most inopportune time.


	8. Chapter 8

_I hope all of you who are reading this story are continuing to enjoy it. There are a few directions I can go to wrap this one up, and I am trying to decide where I want to take it. The next chapter may be a ways off as I write down ideas and try to outline a good climax and ending. Speaking of climax, this chapter has some M rated material. :)_

* * *

As David Rossi walked into the lobby of the hotel, what he saw caught him off guard. Ross Brannigan was holding Erin's hand to his lips, and Erin had a look on her face that registered somewhere between lust and incredulity.

"Have I really done that terrible of a job showing Erin how much I care about her that she would fall right back under Brannigan's spell?" David thought to himself.

At that moment, he and Erin locked gazes, and he knew she had seen him, as her cheeks flushed the deepest shade of red he had ever seen. He loved it when Erin was embarrassed. It wasn't easy to fluster her, but when it happened, David thought it was extremely adorable.

"Oh this is going to be fun," he said, as he walked toward Ross and Erin.

"David, what are you doing here?" Erin asked as he approached.

"How soon we forget, Erin. I have a lot of connections on Capitol Hill as well. I made a call or two, and the organizers of the fundraiser were more than happy to accommodate me."

"It's been a long time, Dave," Ross said, as he extended his hand.

David shook Ross's hand firmly. "Indeed is has, Ross. Indeed it has. I hear you had a lot of trouble getting a date for this shindig, so you had to steal my girl," he said, as he glanced at Erin. If it was possible, David could swear her cheeks flushed even deeper.

"Wait, you two are dating again?" Ross asked surprisingly.

"It's been a casual off and on thing," Erin chimed in. "Nothing serious, just like always."

David was taken aback by how much her biting words affected him.

Well, I'll let you two get on with your evening. I have to check in and take care of some other business. Enjoy the night."

Erin could not believe that this was actually happening. David had pushed back so hard about her spending time with Ross, he had followed her here, and now he was acting like it was no big deal. This was driving her crazy, and she wasn't about to let David Rossi drive her crazy.

"Your business can wait, David. Why don't you join us?" Erin suggested.

"Yes, please do, Dave. I won't take no for an answer," Ross said.

"Well in that case, I'd love to," David said with a smile.

* * *

If Erin didn't know better, she would have thought that David and Ross were best friends. The two of them had spent the entire dinner trading banter back and forth like they had never missed a beat. Erin did not understand why David was being so nice to Ross all of the sudden, and she was determined to find out what exactly he thought he was doing. First, she had to find a way to say goodnight to Ross without seeming rude.

After dinner, David had parted ways with Ross and Erin to handle the business he was planning to attend to earlier. Ross, ever the gentleman, had decided to walk Erin back to her room. They were standing outside the door of her suite, and Erin was struggling with what to say.

"Thank you so much for dinner this evening, and for the lovely gift. I really should get some sleep so I can be at my best tomorrow," she said politely.

"Of course, Erin, I wasn't going to invite myself in or anything. You should know me better than that."

Erin laughed nervously. He may not be expecting to come in, but the way he was looking at her told her that he certainly expected something. Her suspicions were confirmed when he put his arms around her and leaned toward her mouth, but instead of kissing her lips, he brushed her cheek lightly.

"I will be at the Capitol tomorrow so I won't see you until the evening. I'm looking forward to it. Goodnight, Erin."

Erin took a step back to create some distance between them.

"Goodnight, Ross. Thank you again for the lovely dress and the hair pin."

"I can't wait to see you wearing them."

With that, he turned and walked toward the elevators. Erin hadn't realized she was holding her breath, and she let it out in a deep sigh.

Turning to the doors of her suite, she slid the key card into the reader and waited until the light turned green. Pushing the door open, she tossed her purse on the table in the hall.

"How I wish I could have a real drink right now," she said out loud.

Walking toward the bar, she grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. She kicked off her shoes and headed toward the bedroom. She couldn't wait to fall into the middle of all those pillows.

She opened the door and gasped when she saw David standing in the middle of the room waiting for her.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Erin asked coolly.

"Relax, babe, I didn't mean to scare you," David replied

"What is going on, David? What is with the suite and why are you even here?"

"You know why I'm here, Erin. I don't trust that guy, and I'm pretty sure I have good reasons not to."

"You didn't seem to feel that way at dinner. I felt like the third wheel."

"I wasn't going to give the guy the cold shoulder for no reason, but he better keep his distance from you. He seems to be trying to win you over by showering you with expensive gifts."

"I don't plan to keep them, David. I was going to return them as soon as the fundraiser is over."

"I'm not asking you do to that. I just question what his motives are, that's all. The other reason I came here was to apologize to you for the way I acted last weekend. There was no excuse for it, and I feel terrible. The look on your face when you pulled that dress out of the box just killed me, because I wasn't the one making you feel that way. That's why I paid for the suite. I wanted to give you something too."

"You've never been good at expressing your emotions, David. That's why we have never been able to have any type of real relationship. You always run the other way when things start to get serious. You should know by now that gifts and material things don't mean as much to me as your time and attention."

"I don't want to make any promises, Erin, but I will try harder to be a better man for you. The last thing I want to do is lose you because of my inability to commit."

"Well, try to work on that, okay? I'm still really pissed that you followed me here. Promise you'll keep your distance tomorrow night? I still have a date with Ross."

"I know, I know. I'll try, but it's going to be very difficult. If he so much as looks at you the wrong way – "

"I think he wanted to kiss me tonight, but he didn't," Erin interrupted.

"Good, then I'll kiss you for him," David said, as he grabbed Erin around the waist and dipped her backward. His mouth found hers and he could taste the strawberry lip balm that she always wore.

Erin relished the feeling of David's mouth on hers, and she deepened the kiss and moaned into his mouth. Her reaction was all David needed. He grabbed her bottom lip between hers and bit down gently, and then he pulled away from her mouth and started trailing his hot breath down her collar bone. He slowly unbuttoned her blouse and watched it fall to the floor. He continued kissing down her chest and between her breasts.

"Oh God, David, that feels so good," Erin whispered.

David was so familiar with every curve of Erin's body that whenever he touched her, it was like solving a puzzle from memory and without instructions. He knew just where to go, how much time to spend there, and what would send her over the edge. His hands had run over her body so many times, but the feeling it gave him made it seem like each time was the first.

Erin returned the favor and began unbuttoning David's shirt, running her hands over his chest as she did so. The electricity coursing through his body at the feel of her hands on him was more than David could take. He picked Erin up and carried her to the bed. He laid her down gently in the sea of pillows, and as she looked up at him expectantly, her skin flushed from his touch, he realized he had never seen anything more beautiful.

Erin reached up to wrap her arms around his neck and pulled him down on the bed next to her. David could tell that she wanted more. Her eyes were ablaze with desire and her touch was becoming more hurried and intense.

"What do you want, Erin? Tell me what you need," he said huskily.

"You know. You always know," Erin replied as she trained her fiery gaze on his erection and fumbled with the zipper on his pants.

David let out a low growl as her fingers brushed against him. He released himself from the constraints of his own clothing and then quickly worked Erin out of what remained of hers.

In seconds, he was inside of her and the familiar rush of her warmth enveloped him. As they moved together, David was reminded how no other woman fit him quite like she did. No other woman made him feel complete the way she did.

As he watched the expression on Erin's face change from passion to ecstasy, David was overcome by the thought that he wanted to be the only one to make her feel this way. He was trying to hold on until he knew she was ready to let go, and as he felt her nails dig into the back of his shoulders, he knew she was close. She started to whimper, so he began moving faster and with more intensity. Just when he thought he couldn't hold on anymore, Erin raised her hips to match his movement. Her breathing quickened and she moaned loudly. He covered her mouth with his, and at that moment, they both found their release.

David rolled off of her and pulled her close to him, stroking her shoulder softly.

David smiled mischievously. "We always have great makeup sex, don't we?"

"Is that why you keep doing things to piss me off? So you can seduce me and con me into having makeup sex with you?" Erin said, as she swatted him playfully.

"It is a good possibility. I love it when you're feisty. It turns me on."

"Mmmm, that's nice," Erin said, her voice getting softer.

David knew she would be asleep shortly. Every time they finished making love, she passed out in his arms within minutes. In some ways, Erin was so predictable.

"What time do you need to get up tomorrow? I'll set the alarm," he offered.

"I already did. Let's go to sleep now," she said as she nestled into the crook of his arm.

As David rested his head on the pillow beside her, he caught the familiar honeysuckle scent of her shampoo. He drifted off to sleep thinking about Erin and where he wanted this relationship of theirs to go.

* * *

It seemed to David that he had only been asleep for a short time when he opened his eyes. However, the bright sunlight streaming through the window suggested otherwise. Erin was still there beside him, and she hadn't stirred at all. He leaned over Erin to look at the alarm clock on the nightstand, and almost fell off the bed when he saw what time it was. How had they managed to sleep until 3:00 in the afternoon? Erin was supposed to meet Ross in two hours.

"Erin, wake up!" David shook her gently. "We are so late, love, you need to get up now."

"What? Why? I have all day. I don't have to be anywhere until 5:00," she said sleepily, pulling the covers over her head.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, darling, but you have less than two hours. We slept through most of the day."


End file.
